wilful
Americanadjective
adjective
-
intent on having one's own way; headstrong or obstinate
-
intentional
wilful murder
Other Word Forms
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Misconduct in public office is defined by the British Crown Prosecution Service as the “serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office” and can result in life imprisonment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 23, 2026
Emily Brontë's gothic tale of passion, obsession and revenge follows the affair between the free-spirited, wilful Cathy and the tortured but cruel Heathcliff.
From BBC ● Feb. 10, 2026
In one, a senior figure expresses directly to Russian delegates "serious concerns" about the country's "wilful misuse" of Interpol systems, stating that there were instances of "flagrant violations" of Interpol rules.
From BBC ● Jan. 25, 2026
The inquiry's senior counsel went on to say that managers at the health board had failed to ask questions about the hospital building and had instead showed a "wilful blindness".
From BBC ● Jan. 23, 2026
“He got at them, in spite of all that I could do, and they took up with him. They behaved very queer all the time they were here: wilful, you might say.”
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
